47th edition of the Outaouais Festival: a smashing success is finally back!

Sonia Roy

 

The Outaouais en fête festival, back after a two-year pandemic, was eagerly awaited by a boisterous crowd from June 23 to 26 at Parc des Cèdres and the Aylmer marina. For the return of the festival, the Outaouais en fête team had concocted a program worthy of the national holiday: combining both emerging artists and well-known performers, four nights of shows brought together more than 50,000 people.

Among the big names who performed were the groups Kaïn and the Cowboys Fringants, both headliners of the closing day of the festival, Hubert Lenoir, the rapper Loud, Émilie Bilodeau, as well as Béatrice Martin, known by her namesake Cœur de pirate. Many other artists, including the songwriter Tire le coyote, the duo Paupières and 2Frères, the singer Naomi, as well as Phil G Smith, have made their works resound on the stage set up in Parc des Cèdres for the occasion. For its 2022 edition, this festival, whose creation and organization is attributed to Impératif Français, has returned to its formula of promoting and loving francophone music.

Although the park of rides, which usually borders the entrance of the entertainment area, was not at the rendezvous this year, the four days of programming, coupled with several shows (Marina Cannelloni, Caillou, Arthur l’aventurier and Brimbelle) and activities for children (inflatable structures, foam cannon, street entertainers and free admission for 12 years old and under) have completed to make these festivities accessible to the whole family.

A large parade, which began its route at the Galeries Aylmer around noon on June 24 under the theme "Un Québec fringant, enfin on fête!", strolled through the streets of Aylmer during the St-Jean Baptiste celebration. This parade-competition, which was based on the theme of the national holiday and ecology, saw its participants circulate with the green means of transportation of their choice: on foot, by bike, ecological floats, soap boxes, stilts and much more! The participants, invited to show their passions, their music and their animations prepared for the contest, had the chance to win prizes in five categories: colours, movement, creativity, sound ambiance and respect of the theme. The first 100 participants also received a free pass to the evening shows on June 24.

The Parc des Cèdres festivities, in addition to the shows offered during the p'tite St-Jean at the new Place Laval and the recently unveiled cultural trail in downtown Hull, leave behind a widespread feeling of belonging, cultural diversity and an uncontrollable desire to say: "Happy end of summer and can't wait for next year!"

Photos: Yves Elou Légaré

Photo 2: Julia Pissenlit